Mollusk flesh processor



Aug. 12, 1969 ANN ETAL 3,460,192

MOLLUSK FLESH PROCESSOR Filed Jan. 23 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet. 1

NUSCL E STOMACl-l INVENTORY. Join Marvin, Tho/210$ Henderson, In, Deceased, 5) Dara/f1; Henderson Adminishah-i TONGUE 8) 321a)", fiuckles g- 08.57172:

TURKEY'S;

Aug. 12, 1969 J. MARVIN ET AL 3,460,192

MOLLUSK FLESH PROCESSOR Filed Jan. 23 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 MUSCLE INVENTOR N J0]: n M arvin Thomas Henderson, In, Deceas ed, 8 Do ra/A Hem/e rsan, Adm/nisfraf'rix 3201; 1", Bza'iries" 8n (esam' III rozwsms'.

Aug. 12, 1969 J Rvm ET AL MOLLUSK FLESH PROCESSOR 5 Sheets-Shut 5 Find Jan. 2 5 1967 [IV VEN T013 J0 n Marv in Thomas h'ende no, J71, Deceased, 5] Daraf/I] Hendvrson, fln'n/b/lf/rai'rix Blair I Buckles 8' ('esaml HTTURNFYS' lnl g2 M /(9 l Iii I 35 United States Patent 3,460,12 MOLLUSK FLESH PROCESSOR John Marvin, 805 Brush Hill Road, Milton, Mass. 02186, and Thomas Henderson, Jr., deceased, late of Millville, N.J., by Dorothy Henderson, administratrix, 3 Forrest Glen Drive E., Millville, NJ. 08 32 Filed Jan. 23, 1967, Ser. No. 612,072 Int. Cl. A22b 3/08; A22c 29/00, 25/00 US. Cl. 1745 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Apparatus for processing mollusks so that the tongue, mantle-muscle, and stomach are selectively severed from the whole body of the mollusk and dispensed into containers that hold only common flesh parts of the mollusk to facilitate further processing thereof.

This invention relates to a method and apparatus for processing bivalve mollusks. More particularly, it relates to a method and apparatus for separating the mantle and muscle, stomach, and tongue portions of a bivalve mollusk such as a sea clam, oyster, or the like by stretching and severing the mollusk as it passes between pairs of stripperbars.

In the processing of bivalve mollusks such as large sea clams for food, the fleshy part of the clam (FIGURE 1) is divided into several portions having different uses. The combined mantle and muscle portion (herein termed mantle-muscle) is used in clam chowder, while the foot, known as the tongue in the processing industry, is sometimes used for fried clams. The tongue is often combined with the mantle and muscle portion for minced clams and clam chowder. The stomach is normally discarded.

The clam processing industry employs hand labor to separate the various portions of the clam. Such a process is slow. Moreover, even with the use of relatively skilled labor, clam processing has not been satisfactory since valuable tongue portions are often pulled off with the stomach and discarded.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for severing from each other the mantle-muscle, tongue, and stomach portions of a bivalve mollusk.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the above character which separates the severed mollusk portions in such manner to facilitate their separate collection.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the above character which is automatic in operation and which eliminates the need for skilled labor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the above character which is adapted to the processing of various size mollusks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus of the above character which is simple in concept and dependable in operation.

Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the several steps and the relation of one or more of such steps with respect to each of the others, and the apparatus embodying features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangement of parts which are adapted to effect such steps, all as exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following ice detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an illustration of the fleshy part of a sea clam as it appears when removed from the shell;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the processing apparatus of the invention;

FIGURE 3 is a greatly enlarged view, partly in section, taken along the line 33 in FIGURE 2 and illustrating the stripper-bar construction;

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the mantle-muscle and stomach removal areas of the process ing apparatus with the superstructure cut away to reveal the severing operation; and

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged top plan view similar to FIG. 4 but with the upper stripper-bar eliminated from both mantle-muscle and stomach removal areas to further illustrate the severing operation.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawings.

Generally speaking, the method and apparatus of the present invention are used to effect the severance of the fleshy part of a sea clam or other bivalve mollusk into commercially useful portions in an automatic and continuous operation.

A sea clam 6 is illustrated in FIGURE 1 as it would appear removed from the shell and spread out flat upon a surface. The tongue, which is actually the locomotion appendage of the clam, is flanked to powerful adductor muscles used in closing the clam shell. A stomach extends from one end of the tongue portion and is surrounded by strip of flesh called the mantle which is associated with the respiratory processes of the clam.

As shown in FIGURE 2, the apparatus of the invention comprises a conveyor 7 upon which clams are oriented so that clamps 8, when cammed downwardly by a channel member 10, clamp the clams by their tongue portions (FIGURE 1). The clams thus secured to the conveyor 7 are carried between a first stripper, shown generally at 12, which severs the mantle-muscle portions allowing them to fall into a receptacle 14. The remainder of each clam continues along with the conveyor 7 through a second stripper, shown generally at 16, which severs the stomach portion and discharges it into a second receptacle 17. What is left of the clam, namely the tongue portion, is carried by the conveyor 7 to the far end 18 of the processing apparatus where the clamps 8 are cammed upwardly by channel member 10, permitting the tongue to discharge through a trap 20 into a third receptacle 23.

Specifically, the conveyor 7 of the processing apparatus comprises .a conventional conveyor belt 24 (FIGURE 2) which moves along the upper surface 25 of the apparatus to a point just short of the first stripper 12. The conveyor belt 24 facilitates the loading of clams into tongue plates 26, which are linked together to move as a conveyor adjacent to conveyor belt 24 and thereby carry the clams through the strippers of the apparatus. A plurality of tongue clamps 8, one adjacent each plate 26, move parallel to and at the same speed as the plates 26 along upper surface 25.

More specifically, as best seen in FIGURE 3, the plates 26 ride along the tops of a pair of box girders 27 and 29 extending the length of the machine. Each plate 26 has a pair of metallic bearing pads 31 welded thereto, which ride on the upper surfaces of the girders 27 and 29. Guide lugs 35, attached to the plates, ride between the girders. Also, a guide bracket 33 welded to the top of each plate has a depending hook portion 33a which engages a guide bar 37 extending the length of the girder 27.

Still referring to FIGURE 3, each clamp 8 is pivotally mounted on a shaft 39 over one of the plates 26. The back end of each clamp 8 forms a follower 28- which rides in channel member 10. The channel 10 is twisted along its length to provide a pair of camrning positions, as shown by the dashed lines in FIGURE 3, and acts to cam each follower 28 upwardly as the clamps 8 move along upper surface 25 (FIGURE 1). The clamps 8 are thus rotated to their clamped position (solid lines FIG- URE 3) to secure a clam to the corresponding plates 26. In the clamped position, pins 30 in each clamp 8 are received within a corresponding aperture 32 in the plate 26. A forward lip portion 33b on each bracket 33 serves as a stop for positioning the clam tongue under clamp 8.

Referring to FIGURES 2 and 3, a mantle-muscle re moval section comprises a frame 34 positioned along the path of the plates 26 and threadedly supported by four threaded studs 36. Each stud 36 is mounted in one of four posts 38 fastened to the frame 40 of the processing apparatus. Sprocket wheels 44 fastened to the tops of the studs 36 are interconnected by a drive chain 42. By turning a handle 46 affixed to one sprocket wheel 44, the drive chain is advanced, turning the other three Wheels 44 and their respective studs 36, thus either raising or lowering the frame 34 depending upon the direction of rotation.

As shown in FIGURE 3, an arcuate web 48 depends from frame 34. Web 48 has positioned below it an arcuate, rounded stripper-bar 50 which has one end adjacent the path of travel of plates 26. The remainder of stripper-bar 50 diverges from the path of travel of plates 26 as most clearly shown in FIGURE 4. The stripper 12 comprises the bar 50 and a second arcuate, rounded stripper-bar 52 which is disposed directly below the upper bar 50, and coextensive therewith. The lower bar 52 is fastened to the main frame 40 and a wedge-shaped guide member 53 (FIGURES 4 and between frame 40 and bar 52 provides a smooth transition for the mollusk as it feeds into the gap between bars 50 and 52. It can thus be seen that adjustment of the height of the upper frame 34 and the upper bar 50 attached thereto alters the spacing between the upper and lower stripper-bars.

The stripper-bars 50 and 52 are preferably formed of an elastomeric material such as plastic or rubber which enables them to automatically adjust to varying thicknesses of individual clams. However, they can be spring-loaded for the same effect.

The stomach removal section (FIGURE 2) is spaced sequentially from the mantle-muscle removal section along the path of travel of plates 26. The structure of the stomach removal section is substantially identical to the structure of the mantle-muscle removal section as shown in FIGURE 3 and described hereinabove. However, the spacing between the upper and lower stripper-bars is different as explained below.

Beyond the stomach removal section, channel is curved to rotate clamps 8 away from their corresponding plates 26 as shown in FIGURE 2. The plates 26 and rotated clamps 8 are carried through a trap 20, where they recirculate under the apparatus frame 40.

In operation, a clam is placed upon conveyor 7 (FIG- URE 2) with the tongue portion on a plate 26 and the remainder supported by conveyor belt 24. As the conveyor 7 advances toward the mantle-muscle removal section, the corresponding clamp 8 is cammed downwardly by channel member 10 and the pins 30 in the clamp pierce the tongue and enter the apertures 32 in plate 26 (FIGURE 3). The clam is thus carried between the bars 50 and 52 of the mantle-muscle stripper 12. Bars 50 and 52 in the stripper 12 are spaced by means of the drive chain mechanism 42 so that all but the mantle-muscle portion of the clam is pulled through the stripper 12 to the side adjacent plates 26 as shown in FIGURE 5. As the plate 26 advances further, the divergence of the arcuate portions of bars 50 and 52 from the path of travel of plates 26 causes the clam to stretch (FIGURES 4 and 5) until finally the mantlemuscle portion is pulled from the remainder of the clam.

More specifically, with reference to FIGURE 1, the muscles of the clam are thicker and firmer than the other portions. Therefore, with proper adjustment of the stripper-bar spacing, the muscles, along with the mantle attached thereto, are retained by the bars as the clam is pulled, tongue first, through the inter-bar gap. The rest of the clam is thereby pulled away and thereby severed from the muscle-mantle portion as the plate 26 carrying the tongue progresses on past the stripper 12.

Preferably, a cut-off wheel 56 is positioned between the stripper-bar pair and the path of travel of plates 26 as shown in FIGURES 3, 4, and 5. The axis of rotation of the cut-off wheel 56 is substantially parallel to the plane of plates 26; i.e., ordinarily horizontal, while the edge of the cut-off wheel 56 is positioned substantially normal to the clam as it is pulled through the bars 50 and 52. A flexible shaft 58 connects the cut-off wheel 56 to a motor which is not shown.

The cut-ofi wheel 56 facilitates the severance of the mantle-muscle by cutting the adjacent skin. It should be noted that stretching of the clam alone will cause the severance of the desired portion. However, the use of a cut-off wheel is preferable in order to obtain clean separation and, thus, maximum flesh recovery in the severed portion. Once severed, the spray from a nozzle 54 (FIG- URES 3 and 5) can be used to help dislodge the mantlemuscle portion from between stripper-bars 50 and 52, and it drops into the receptacle 14 as shown in FIGURE 3.

Plate 26 carrying the remaining tongue and stomach portions of the clam continues on to the stomach stripper 16. The spacing of stripper-bars 50 and 52 in the stripper 16 is generally closer than in the mantle-muscle stripper 12, so that the stomach portion is retained by the stripper 16, while the remaining portion passes on through. This sequence is shown in FIGURE 5. The clam is stretched, as the arcuate stripper 16 diverges from the path of travel of plates 26, until severance of the stomach portion is eflected. Here, as in mantle-muscle removal, a cut-01f wheel 64 preferably cuts the skin of the clam adjacent the portion to be severed to provide a clean separation. Because the bars of the stripper 16 are spaced somewhat closer than those in the stripper 12, the severed stomach is gripped more tightly than the severed mantle-muscle. Preferably, therefore, a flesh removal wheel 60 is used in place of a spray to dislodge the stomach so that it falls into the receptacle 17. The wheel 60 has teeth 61 projecting into the gap between the bars 50, 52 of the stripper 16. The wheel is connected to a motor (not shown) by a shaft 62.

The remaining tongue portion of the clam is carried by the associated plate 26 and clamp 8 toward trap 20 (FIGURE 1) at the far end 18 of the processing apparatus. Just before trap 20, clamp 8 is raised due to a corresponding twist of channel 10 and the tongue portion is carried by the plate 26 into trap 20, where it separates from the plate by gravity as the plate inverts to begin its return to the rear end of the machine beneath the top surface 25. From the trap 20, the tongue falls into the receptacle 22.

The apparatus and method of the present invention offer numerous advantages as compared to prior art hand processing. Human operators are required only to load clams onto the conveyor, thus the need for skill is essentially eliminated. Further, processing and the collection of severed clam portions is fully automatic and continuous, permitting high production rates to be attained. In addition, clam portions are cleanly severed, and a higher yield of useable meat is obtained.

It will thus be seen that the objects set forth above, among those made apparent from the preceding description, are efi'iciently attained.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A method for severing from each other the mantlemuscle, stomach, and tongue of a bivalve mollusk comprising:

(A) holding said mollusk between a coextensive pair of spaced stripper-bars,

(1) the spacing of said stripper-bar pair being suflicient to allow passage therebetween of all of said mollusk excepting the portion to be severed;

(B) moving said mollusk while held between said stripper-bar pair along a path relatively divergent from said portion and said stripper-bar pair whereby said mollusk is stretched adjacent said portion; and

(C) severing said portion from the remainder of said mollusk.

2. A method as defined in claim 1 in which said severing is accomplsihed by stretching said mollusk sufficiently to pull said portion apart from the remainder of the mollusk.

3. A method as defined in claim 1 and including the step of cutting the skin of said mollusk adjacent said portion while moving said mollusk along said path, thereby to facilitate severance of said portion from the remainder of said mollusk.

4. An apparatus for severing from each other and separately collecting the mantle-muscle, stomach, and tongue portions of a bivalve mollusk, said apparatus comprising in combination:

(A) conveyor means for moving said mollusk along a predetermined path;

(B) means for clamping said mollusk to said conveyor;

and

(C) at least one pair of spaced stripper-bars situated near and extending in a diverging manner with respect to said predetermined path to intercept said mollusk as it moves along said path, said stripperbars being spaced from one another by an amount sufiicient to (1) permit said conveyor means to draw a first portion of the mollusk through the space between the bars and (2) prevent a second portion from passing through,

(3) thereby severing the second portion from the first portion.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 having two pairs of said stripper-bars stationed sequentially adjacent said path, a first one of said pairs being spaced apart sulficiently to selectively sever said mantle-muscle portion and the second of said pairs being spaced apart sufficiently to sever said stomach portion.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein the spacing of said first pair of stripper-bars is greater than the spacing of said second pair.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said stripper-bars are formed of elastomeric material.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 including means for adjusting the spacing between said stripper-bars to accommodate mollusks of varying dimension.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 including means for cutting the skin between portions of said mollusk as it is drawn between said stripper-bar pair, to facilitate the severance thereof.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 including a cutofi wheel rotatably mounted between said stripper-bar pair and said conveyor means, the edge of said wheel being substantially aligned with and normal to the skin adjacent the portion to be severed as said mollusk is drawn between said stripper-bar pair by said conveyor means.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 having means urging the severed portion of said mollusk from between said stripper-bar pair.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 having means for separately collecting severed mantle-muscle, stomach, and tongue portions of said mollusk, wherein said portions are segregated from unlike portions collected in prior or subsequent severing operations.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said stripper-bars diverge at an acute angle with respect to said predetermined path whereby the second portions of the mollusk are deflected from the path by said stripperbars.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said stripper-bars diverge at an acute angle with respect to said predetermined path whereby the mantle-muscle and stomach portions of the mollusk are deflected from the path by said stripper-bars.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS LUCIE H. LAUDENSLAGER, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 17-2 

